TransAsia crash: Twelve dead as plane crashes into Taiwan river

At least 12 people have died after a TransAsia
Airways plane clipped a bridge and crashed into a
river near the Taiwanese capital, Taipei.
Fifty-eight people were onboard the domestic flight,
and a number of people were reportedly injured.
Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) broadcast
footage of the plane almost submerged in the
Keelung river.
Rescue teams are alongside the plane trying to
rescue several people still trapped inside.
The ATR-72 turbo-prop plane had just taken off
from Taipei Songshan Airport and was heading to
the outlying Kinmen islands, just off the coast of
the south-eastern Chinese city of Xiamen, CNA
said.
Flight controllers lost contact with the plane at
10:55 local time (02:55 GMT).
Footage of the plane apparently filmed from inside
passing cars showed it banking sharply, hitting a
taxi and clipping the bridge before crashing into
the river.
TransAsia Airways
Founded in 1951 as Taiwan's first private
civilian-operated domestic airline, later
expanded to overseas routes.
One of the region's smaller carriers though has
rapidly expanded in recent years.
Has about 20 planes in its fleet - a mix of
Airbus and dual-propeller ATR planes.
Gained popularity due to its low-cost tickets.
Flies many routes between Taiwan and mainland
China, and to other parts of South East Asia.
Those rescued are being brought by dinghies to
the shore
About 30 people have been rescued
Television images showed rescuers standing on
large sections of broken wreckage trying to pull
passengers out of the plane with ropes.
Those that were rescued were helped into dinghies
and taken to shore, including a small boy.
Taipei officials said 16 people suffered injuries.
Thirty people are still unaccounted for.
Of the 58 people on board 53 are believed to be
passengers
Several people have been injured
Out of the 58 people on board 53 are believed to
be passengers and five are crew. Thirty-one of the
passengers are tourists from mainland China.
The BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei says the Chinese
tourists could have been on their way home as
many people come to Taiwan through Kinmen
island.
In July last year 48 people died when a TransAsia
Airways plane crashed amid stormy weather in
Taiwan's Penghu archipelago.